Expert proposes ban on "robot soldiers"

Noel Sharkey, emeritus professor of robotics and artificial intelligence at the University of Sheffield in England. Photo credit: UNOG

An expert on robotics is part of a campaign seeking a legally binding prohibition on the use, development and production of so-called "robot soldiers" or "robot killers".

A debate has just concluded at the UN in Geneva on the ethics of using Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems or LAWS during war.

Noel Sharkey, emeritus professor of robotics and artificial intelligence at the University of Sheffield in England is one of the key experts who will make recommendations to the UN Conventional on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW).

The Professor told Jocelyne Sambira he was also Chairman of the International Committee for robot arms' control, part of a campaign to stop these weapons.